EMPEROR

Reviewed:

- In the Nightside Eclipse (1994)

- Reverence (1997, EP)

- Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk (1997)

- Emperor/Wrath of the Tyrant (1998, compilation)

- IX Equilibrium (1999)

- Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire & Demise (2001)

- Live Inferno (2009, live album)

IN THE NIGHTSIDE ECLIPSE          1994          (Candlelight)

- Standouts: From start to finish, this one's a winner.

So just last month I finished reviewing the Mayhem discography, and I thoroughly enjoyed both the listening and writing experience. They're a band I've enjoyed since my teens, yet I can only really call myself a fan of them now I'm in my '30s. I used to listen to all kinds of extreme metal when I was younger, yet black metal was one subgenre I only enjoyed in small doses. Somehow, I like it more now than I did then. So let's take a stab at reviewing the mighty Emperor shall we?

Well, despite In the Nightside Eclipse's legendary status within the black metal realm, it's an album I think I listened to once or twice on YouTube in my early '20s, and never actually bought a physical copy of until earlier this year. I remember watching maybe 3/4 of their headlining set at Bloodstock in 2014 and enjoying them, and then forgetting about them not long after. So yeah, my history with Emperor is weird, and I'd quite like to just move on with this review now thank ya very much!

There's a lot of things about this album I love. When you look at what other black metal bands were doing at the time, In the Nightside Eclipse is just much more sophisticated somehow. The most obvious reason would be the symphonic keyboards of course... weirdly, I think the symphonic element to Emperor is what initially passed them by for me when I was younger, but as I've gotten older it's a huge factor as to why I now love 'em. As I said, there's a sophistication to this element that adds a huge amount of depth to the signature tremolo-picked guitar riffs and progressions that is typical of almost every black metal band at the time. Take away those massive, orchestral-sounding keyboards and you'd be left with a competent BM album I'm sure, but not a special one.

They can also be very choir-like, especially on songs like 'Cosmic Keys to My Creations & Times' and 'Into the Infinity of Thoughts', and it's noticeable from the get-go. You've got 2 entirely different elements happening - the raspy, shrieking vocals and tremolo guitars, as well as the symphonic side of it all going on at once. It shouldn't work on paper, yet it does. In fact, it sounds epic. So epic in fact, that there's a beauty to this record that no other BM band from the legendary Norwegian scene could achieve at the time. Don't get me wrong, I love Mayhem - but their brand of black metal is ugly and terrifying. It's what they do, and they're the masters at it. But Emperor are different, and it's not what Ihsahn and the boys set out to do with their band. The lyrics are still Satanic in nature on this album, yes, but somehow it's much less edgy here. And anyway, despite all the symphonic stuff going on, the album still tones it down from time to time, for example, the slower, heavier parts of  'Beyond the Great Vast Forest'. Or the stupidly heavy ending to 'I Am Black Wizards' for that matter. Everything's well-balanced.

I also wanna praise the production. It's brilliant. The album's richer-sounding than much of it's competition, but the guitars and drums are beefed up in a way that makes them perfectly audible alongside the keyboards. Ihsahn's vocals are still kinda lo-fi buried beneath everything, but I don't think the vocals are the main focus of this record anyway. If anything, they're more for atmosphere, and I'm cool with that. It's also nice that, despite the production being much more professional than what Darkthrone or Gorgoroth were doing, it's still far from being a slick, over-produced modern mess. This is still black metal after all. I think Emperor's production would get cleaner with time, but the band would progress musically anyway.

Hmm. Trying to think of any issues I have. Well, every time I listen to this record, I remember most parts of each song, yet I can almost never remember which song they're actually from! It just means I like hearing the album from start to finish, but I almost never listen to anything from it individually, whether it be in a playlist or whatever. So it's certainly not something I'll listen to casually in the background. It's definitely a 'right time, right place' kind of album. I was originally going to score this a 9.5/10, which is the same score I gave Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas... but I still think that album edges out and comes on top above In the Nightside Eclipse for me. And anyway, if I gave this a 9.5/10, that means I like this album more than I do, say, Judas Priest's Defenders of the Faith... sorry, but I just don't (2 completely different styles of metal album I know, but you get my point)! So I'm giving this a 9.3/10 then. It's easily one of the greatest black metal albums of all time, and it's fucking nuts to find out that none of the members of the band were even 20 years old when they recorded this thing!! To come up with something as sophisticated and ground-breaking as this at that age is unbelievable, and an achievement in it's own right. So, all in all, it's a strangely beautiful product of the Norwegian black metal scene, and every metalhead should hear it at least once.

Adam's rating: 9.3/10

REVERENCE (EP)          1997          (Candlelight)

This EP features 3 tracks in total, the first of which - 'The Loss and Curse of Reverence' - was featured on the 1997 full-length album, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. Read my review below to find out more about this tune (spoiler alert - it's great). The second track was, at the time, exclusive to this EP. It's called 'In Longing Spirit', and it's supposedly an updated version of a song they wrote very early into their career. It's a moody, haunting slice of symphonic black metal, and kind of sounds like a Nightside Eclipse track with a coat of Anthems paint... both albums are different from one another in unique ways. Either way, I like this song. I particularly like Ihsahn's clean vocal chants, although he does still dabble with harsh vocals on it too. The third and final track here, 'Opus a Satana', is an orchestral instrumental take on 'Inno a Satana' from In the Nightside Eclipse. I'm on the fence with this one. Naturally, it's drastically different to the original song it's based on to the point where there's nothing really bleak or ominous-sounding about it. It sounds like it's been ripped straight from a fantasy movie, and sounds out of place to me. Meh.

I'm not going to call this CD 'bad' by any stretch of the imagination - I mean, 'The Loss and Curse of Reverence' in particular is peak black metal, but the only reason I actually own this is because I have the old 1997 issue of Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk. From what I can tell, basically all the Anthems reissues that have come since include the entire Reverence EP as bonus tracks. So I'd only recommend picking this up if, like me, you own an old copy of Anthems.

Adam's rating: 7/10

ANTHEMS TO THE WELKIN AT DUSK          1997          (Candlelight)

Standouts: Once again, everything.

From what I can gather, In the Nightside Eclipse is Emperor's most recognisable classic - but on Metal Archives, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk reigns supreme. And those basement-dwelling black metal fans on Metal Archives must know best, surely?! Some days, I'm inclined to agree with them. I mean, the music on this album is more technically-proficient, and somehow them Emperor lads managed to pump out lots and lots of memorable passages from these songs. Just like they did on Nightside Eclipse then, only Anthems has it's own stylistic vibes that sets it apart from it's predecessor.

Different though these vibes may be, this album is still 100% Emperor. It's just an evolving Emperor. They weren't trying to imitate Nightside Eclipse, yet the music is still unquestionably black metal more-so than anything else, with symphonic overtones of course. It's just much more intricate and focused this time around, and you're getting some of the finest songs Ihsahn ever wrote as a result of this. Plus, the production is now cleaner and more professional, but given the fact the music itself is also more professional, it's only fitting. The opening 'Alsvartr (The Oath)' is a perfect mood-setter; it's dark and ominous, but actually quite majestic in it's own right. However, when 'Ye Enrancemperium' kicks in, things rapidly change. There's parts of this song that sound like some sort of evil carnival acid trip... yeah, I mean it. It's a combination of the endless riffs, blast beat drums and naturally, a symphonic melody that creates such a huge wall of sound for the listener. It's my favourite track on the album, and it might just be my favourite Emperor song of all time.

One of my other favourites here has to be 'Ensorcelled by Khaos'. Aside from the outro, much of this track is very mid-tempo, but it just sounds absolutely epic in true Emperor fashion. It's heavy and dark, but again oddly beautiful and fitting for a Tolkien screen adaptation. It's a huge step-up from the debut in terms of sheer instrumentation and ambition... they went big, not home. Also, songs like 'The Loss and Curse of Reverence' and 'The Acclamation of Bonds' just have so much going on in them that I once again get lost in the music just I like do the songs from the previous record. There's just so many fast riffs, slow riffs, twisted symphonies and blast beats throughout the album I kind of just let the music take my imagination elsewhere if I'm in the right mood. You even occasionally get the odd clean style vocal chants on tracks like 'With Strength I Burn', and it only adds another layer of grandeur to everything else that's already happening. Closing instrumental 'The Wanderer' sounds like some kind of massive movie theme, and I mean that in the best sense possible.

You know, I came into this review expecting to give Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk an easy 9/10, but still a score that sits below In the Nightside Eclipse. I've listened to both these records a lot over the past 3 or so months, and it's only just now that I've decided I like Anthems more out of the 2. The music is just so much more intricate and almost better in every single way... and I still love that predecessor. The only thing this follow-up misses out on by comparison is it's atmosphere. Not that Anthems isn't atmospheric; no, the aura surrounding this album is absolutely fantastic - fantasy-like, epic, dark and blah blah blah... there's only so much you can say. Simply put, it's awesome. Yet for me, Nightside Eclipse still manages to be better in this department, somehow! I think it's the lack of simplicity regarding the riffs and structure... everything on Anthems has been maxed out 100 times over that you almost forget your listening to a so-called 'black metal band' at times. But generally speaking, the improved musicianship only makes the album stronger in almost every other respect. Especially the vocals, which are far less cliché now. Just had to make a point of that.

This album is spectacular. Like every extreme metal record, I don't particularly need to hear it every fucking day of the week, but when I'm in the mood, Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk takes me on a crazy, dark and fantastical journey that most other black metal albums fail to capture. It really is either close to the top of the pile - or it simply is on top - in terms of the genre. For me, black metal is all about theatrics and taking me somewhere very dark - and if that means throwing in symphonic passages and complicated songwriting structures to achieve this, then dammit I'm all for it!

Adam's rating: 9.5/10

EMPEROR/WRATH OF THE TYRANT          1998          (Candlelight)

This CD compiles the first couple of Emperor releases onto a single disc - the 1992 demo Wrath of the Tyrant, as well as the 1993 EP, simply titled Emperor. Both were recorded in 1992, but it's crazy how much better they got as musicians in such a short amount of time. As expected, the demo is rawer than sushi. Everything is murky and Faust's drums sound like cardboard boxes... yet you can still hear shimmers of greatness on songs like 'My Empire's Doom' and 'Moon Over Kara-Shehr'. There's definitely riffs and the like here that would eventually make it onto In the Nightside Eclipse. In general however, this demo is much less refined than anything they would record later, and musically it has more of a generic black metal sound. It most certainly was not generic for the time - the Norwegian black metal scene was brand-spanking new at the time, but it's also kind of a relief that Emperor would quickly expand upon what you can hear on this demo.

Yep, the demo's black metal then, minus the symphonic part that would make them unique among their peers. The vocals are about as harsh and sometimes gargly as Ihsahn would ever get, and other than some chanting vocals on the doomy 'Witches Sabbath', this is about as stripped-down and primal as you'll ever hear Emperor. But honestly, I think it's still rather good overall - especially in retrospect. If they'd gone into a proper studio and recorded this more professionally, just maybe it'd have gone down as a black metal classic. They didn't of course, because they'd go onto release something far superior in 1994, but all things considered, the Wrath of the Tyrant demo is still decent.

As for the self-titled EP, things have improved further. I mean, 2 of these songs ('I Am the Black Wizards' and 'Cosmic Keys to My Creations') would end up on In the Nightside Eclipse. The versions found on this EP are much grittier and less polished than on the album, meaning they're not as good in all honesty. But they do still feature keyboards and aside from the rough recording quality, are a big step-up from anything you heard on the Wrath of the Tyrant demo. In just a few months, the band had drastically improved and honed their style, because they are officially a symphonic black metal band now. And Ihsahn's vocals aren't as gargling anymore either. There's a different version of 'Wrath of the Tyrant' here, different to the point where I can barely tell if it's even based on the same song anymore due to the use of keyboards and just the overall vibe of the music. Whatever, it's cool either way. Still a bit more basic and under-developed compared to what you'd hear on Nightside Eclipse, but solid none-the-less. 'Night of the Graveless Souls' is the weakest of the 4 tracks from the EP, and it's because the keyboards on this song border more on being cringey at times. But aside from a few keyboard missteps with this track, I still like it overall. And I can't be too harsh, given the whole symphonic element was still new to them and they'd not even released a full-length record at this point.

I enjoy this package. I wouldn't call it essential beyond the more serious fans and collectors, but it's an interesting listen that showcases just how quickly the band progressed from a solid, if unremarkable underground black metal band, to a symphonic black metal powerhouse. What I don't like is the order of the tracklisting - instead of being in chronological order, the EP comes before the demo. So instead of hearing progression, you hear regression!

Adam's rating: 7.5/10

IX EQUILIBRIUM          1999          (Candlelight)

- Standouts: Definitely 'The Source of Icon E', then take your pick...

Hardly anyone talks about this album compared to the other 3, and I can sort of understand why. I find that the songs are harder to remember now. Despite this shortcoming, it's far from a weak effort. And it's difficult to really give these guys a hard time - it can't be easy to follow-up 2 seminal albums with the same level of quality.

One thing you really cannot criticise here is the actual playing from a technical standpoint. The music has gotten even more complicated and intricate since Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk; no, Emperor are not relying on simple tremolo-picked guitar riffs and repetitive songs... they're black metal, sure, but they're thinking man's black metal at this point. There's an endless stream of ideas going on throughout, from the guitar riffs and chops to the symphonic backdrop. Even the lyrics have gotten more philosophical now, moving away from typical black metal cliché topics, and I'm all for this. The band were far too smart to release 'just another black metal album' at this point... not that there's anything wrong with sticking to signature genre traits, but if you're more than capable of comfortably stepping outside the box, then why not do something unique like they did here? Or either of the previous couple of records for that matter. Now that I think about it, I'd be hard-pressed to even call IX Equilibrium a pure black metal album. 'Extreme blackened symphonic metal' is possibly a better label at this point, and it's not like the band were wearing corpse paint anymore for that matter.

There are some improvements to be found with Equilibrium. Ihsahn's vocals have gotten better once more, to the point where he even pulls off Rob Halford-esque clean screams on a song like 'The Source of Icon E'. And he's still doing those epic-like chants from time to time to accompany the usual harsher vocals. In short, you're getting a surprisingly diverse vocal performance for an album of this genre, and I think it really does the music justice. When I first heard this album too, I felt it was a tad over-produced, but I've really come to appreciate it with more listens. When I play it through my stereo or Bose headphones, it sounds surprisingly beefy for a black metal album, and definitely heavier than before. But when I play it through my PC speakers, it sounds a little closer to it's predecessor, if a tad cleaner once again. Either way, I can't really fault it. It lacks the reverb of Nightside Eclipse, sure, but it works.

The atmosphere has dipped once more, but it's still kinda cool in it's own right. I've always felt the other 2 albums had more of a fantasy-based medieval kind of aura to them... this one has a fantasy-based, almost Arabian-sounding aura in my opinion. Right? Am I right folks?! Or am I talking out of my arse?! Either way, I know what I mean right now!! Whatever they did with the keyboards and synths this time, it's different. Yeah, I'll admit straight-up I don't quite drift off to another dimension with IX Equilibrium like I do either predecessor, but I still like the overall vibe of this record.

As I stated at the beginning however, the songs are definitely less memorable this time around. And I reckon it's because the level of musicianship has been pushed a little too far here. There's a long list of memorable passages in most tracks from both Nightside Eclipse and Anthems, but whenever I hear Equilibrium I find myself looking at the tracklisting a lot just to remember which song is which. As a result, I have barely anything to say regarding the songs individually. Shame, 'cos I never get bored at any point and I usually get engrossed in the music overall. Yet somehow it's just not a favourite of mine. I wholeheartedly recommend this if you liked literally anything else from this band - the musicianship and performances are top-tier, there's just a spark missing somewhere...

Still a great album though.

Adam's rating: 8.4/10

PROMETHEUS: THE DISIPLINE OF FIRE & DEMISE          2001          (Candlelight)

- Standouts: 'The Eruption', 'Depraved', 'Empty', 'The Prophet', 'The Tongue of Fire', 'In the Wordless Chamber', 'He Who Sought Fire'

Prometheus was the final studio album we'd ever see from Emperor. The entire record was written by Ihsahn, and Emperor were disbanded not long after. Of course, they've reformed and played live since then, but it's doubtful we'll ever see another album from Ihsahn and Samoth. Apparently both dudes were going in 2 very different directions musically, and another Emperor album wouldn't have worked. Hey-ho.

Like IX Equilibrium, I don't think I could call Prometheus a 'black metal album'. Once again, the 'extreme symphonic metal' badge is more fitting, only this time I'd throw 'progressive' in there too. Every album got more and more technical and artsy, and this is the peak of that mountain climb. Musically it feels like a continuation of Equilibrium to be honest, only Prometheus tends to be held in higher regard. I'll freely jump on that bandwagon and agree that this is the superior product, but I can't say it like it more than the first 2 either. The songs are once again kind of difficult for me to remember sometimes save for opener 'The Eruption', 'The Prophet' and also 'Depraved', mostly because of that weird breathing pulse it has going for it. Once again however, the lack of individually memorable songs is not necessarily a major issue for me because the album as a whole is one hell of a listening experience overall. It's not like Ihsahn wrote this thing with hooks in mind.

Yep, the whole album is full of heavy, chunky riffs of all kinds (check out the chugging section of 'Empty', or the doomy introduction to 'The Prophet'), harsh and clean vocals to suit whatever kind of direction the song goes in, frantic drumming and an endless stream of interesting keyboard/symphonic arrangements to let you know this is still an Emperor record. The production is a bit less heavy-sounding than Equilibrium's, but this doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the music. The bass is a little inaudible at times sadly, but the clean, processed production of Prometheus was really necessary to accommodate the intricacy of these tracks. The most old-school track here to me is 'In the Wordless Chamber', but it still has a latter-period Emperor vibe of it's own. Vocally I think Ihsahn is at his best here, and lyrically things have gotten even deeper. I couldn't quite tell you what he's going on about a lot of the time, just take it from me when I say this is a far cry lyrically from the black metal cliché lyrics of the '90s!

The keyboards on this album still produce a fantasy-like tone that enhances the songs, but like the preceding album, they don't achieve the same medieval tones that Nightside Eclipse or Anthems convey. It's both a strength and a weakness in my opinion. I think the first 2 records relied more on the keyboards to set the mood... on Prometheus they enhance the riffs, but they don't feel like as much of a focus this time around. Ironically, my favourite song here is 'The Tongue of Fire' because the guitars on this track are so fucking technical and interesting that I almost forget about the keyboards at times. So yeah, my feelings towards the keyboard work on this album are more than positive overall, but they certainly aren't as big of a deal for me this time around either. 

As far as swansongs go, this is a really strong note to exit on. It's still never gonna top the first 2 for me, but I'll betcha a quid that Prometheus has a whole fanbase of it's own. I really wouldn't be surprised if there's a lot of people out there who love this record yet don't listen to black metal. If you like proggy, technical and/or extreme metal, but aren't so big on black metal - then this could be the Emperor album for you. I recommend it. But I do like black metal, and I still really like Prometheus too. I find it to be slightly better than Equilibrium, even if it's still not one of my favourites as such. It doesn't quite engage me like the first couple of records, but it's still a really strong album that I recommend all serious metalheads check out at least once.

Adam's rating: 8.6/10

LIVE INFERNO          2009          (Candlelight)

I paid just £6 for a brand new sealed copy of the 2017 reissue of this live album, and for that money this is such a great package. You're getting 2 CDs here, the first of which is their 2006 Inferno Festival performance in Norway and consists of 15 tracks in total. The second is their Wacken Open Air performance, again in 2006, and features 12 songs. Of course, both setlists are very similar and there's little differentiate them in that regard, but for £6 I don't care!

By default I think I prefer disc 1 due to the longer setlist, but both performances are excellent. In some ways, it almost feels pointless having the Wacken gig in this package as even the production is similar too. Other than some of the crowd noises, there's not much in it. But again, both performances are really hard to fault and I have little to complain about here. They play songs from each of their 4 full-length albums, but they also touch on 'Wrath of the Tyrant' from the early days (at least on disc 1 anyway), so I can't really think of anytrack that should or shouldn't be here. And the band themselves are playing tight as a drum, with immaculate drumming, riffage and Ihsahn's vocals sounding close to the album versions themselves. Meanwhile the orchestral elements naturally add to the epicness of the music.

Yeah, I don't have much else to say about Live Inferno. Brand new copies are cheap as hell on eBay and it does everything a live extreme metal album should do. There's also a 3-disc version that includes a DVD of the Wacken show, so if that's your thing, you should get that version. I don't really collect music DVDs. I have a few, but I normally try to get the CD-only versions if they're available.

Adam's rating: 9/10

Calling out Loudwire and their Anthrax album ranking

I haven't done one of these posts for a while, so let's jump right in and take a look at Loudwire's ranking of the Anthrax studio album discography...

Original article: https://loudwire.com/anthrax-albums-ranked/

11. VOLUME 8: THE THREAT IS REAL (1998)

What they say:

"Recorded during an emotional all-time low for Anthrax, shortly after their separation from Elektra Records, Volume 8: The Threat is Real was not without its moments (see 'Catharsis' and 'Born Again Idiot'), but this was clearly a band in crisis: too far removed from their thrashing origins to turn back; no longer confident about their ability to evolve (see the country music madness of 'Toast to the Extras'). So instead of sinking or swimming, Anthrax treaded just enough water to make it out of the '90s alive."

What I say:

One of the strangest albums from the Anthrax camp - just listen to the country-tinged 'Toast to the Extras' - but in my opinion not actually their worst. I mean, it's far from their best (in fact, it's not even their best with John Bush) It's inconsistent and patchy, sure, but some good songs did slip through the cracks here, namely the bruising 'Crush', catchy 'Catharsis', grungy 'Inside Out' and the crazy fast skits '604' and 'Cupajoe'. This was Anthrax in alt. metal mode, a product of it's time. If you take it for what it is, it's really not a bad record - even if it isn't that good either.

10. STOMP 442 (1995)

What they say:

"Anthrax doubled down on their career reinvention on their second LP for Elektra (and with frontman John Bush), but 1995's Stomp 442 lacked the consistent vision and songwriting inspiration of the preceding Sound of White Noise, and highlights like 'Fueled', 'Riding Shotgun' and the very Pantera-like 'In a Zone' were few and far between. Behind the scenes, general uncertainty about the band's lead guitar spot (recently vacated by the long-serving Dan Spitz) obviously confused both the band and longtime fans, whose loyalty and patience were being tested to the limit."

What I say:

In my opinion, this is the album that should've taken the lowest spot - but I wouldn't say it trails far behind Volume 8 either. You can't go into Stomp 442 expecting Among the Living Pt. II - especially after the darker tones of Sound of White Noise - so hearing the groove-based metal of this record comes as no surprise to me. The problem is, there's little heart and soul in these tracks. Everything's competently performed and written, but as a whole the album's largely forgettable. 'Random Acts of Senseless Violence' isn't a bad opener, 'Fueled' is catchy and one I like to crank loud while the ballad 'Bare' is actually quite pleasant. But the bulk of this record is about as generic-sounding as '90s alternative/groove metal gets. Listenable, sure, but that's simply not good enough for a band of this calibre.

9. WE'VE COME FOR YOU ALL (2003)

What they say:

"Perhaps because reports of Anthrax's demise during the latter 1990s were greatly exaggerated, 200's We've Come for You All felt like something of a comeback - or maybe fans were just grateful that the band hadn't changed their moniker altogether after pressure to do so after the anthrax scares that followed 9/11. In any case, new lead guitarist Rob Caggiano helped convey a sense of stability to the proceedings, even though eclectic songs like 'Safe Home', 'Black Dahlia' and 'Taking the Music Back' didn't provide enough clues for fans to determine just who Anthrax were at this point in time."

What I say:

I used to consider this to be the best of the John Bush-era albums, but I'm not so sure I agree with that anymore. There's a lot of cool material to digest here, but as a whole We've Come for You All is very disjointed and directionless; it has retro metal tributes ('Strap It On'), classic thrash metal ('What Doesn't Die'), catchy yet grungy cuts ('Superhero' and 'Refuse to Be Denied'), catchy mainstream rock balladry ('Safe Home'), fun stadium rockers ('Cadillac Rock Box' and 'Taking the Music Back') and even a black metal-tinged edgy number ('Black Dahlia'). And I dig all this stuff quite a bit - it's fun. But as a whole there's far too many songs here and the constant shift in styles and tone makes it quite a demanding listen to hear in one go. Plenty of good songs here then, it's essentially just an album I have to be in the right mood to sit through. 

8. STATE OF EUPHORIA (1998)

What they say:

"Just when Anthrax thought they could do no wrong, the newly minted members of thrash's platinum selling Big Four took a step back with 1988's State of Euphoria. In a nutshell, the album was a watered down (and rather repetitive) sequel to the mighty Among the Living, and the band's good humour was unfairly seen as a weakness by many anally retentive metal fans. But, hindsight being 20/20, these same fans would soon revise their harsh first impressions and start longing for the days of old-school Euphoria thrashers like 'Be All, End All', 'Make Me Laugh' and 'Finale'. Better late than never."

What I say:

Unfortunately, the writer of this Loudwire article (Eduardo Rivadavia) is 100% correct when he talks about the criticisms State of Euphoria initially received from fans and critics. It's not like this was ever a critically-panned album or anything to that extent, it was just looked at in lukewarm fashion after Among the Living. Honestly though, I think this album is excellent. Not quite a 9/10, but not far off. Songs like 'Misery Loves Company', 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind', 'Finale' and 'Be All, End All' are as thrashy as you could ever want, while 'Make Me Laugh' is an absolute molten metal classic and 'Antisocial' is a ridiculously fun singalong anthem (originally a Trust song). This album as a whole goes on a little too long and in general it trails behind Spreading the Disease and Among the Living, but it's only a minor downgrade from those seminal works. 

7. FISTFUL OF METAL (1984)

What they say:

"Anthrax's first LP was the only one to feature founding bassist Danny Lilker (later of Nuclear Assault, Brutal Truth, etc., etc.) and vocalist Neil Turbin, but its music was also unique in that it captured the fledging group's conversion to thrash metal, literally on the fly. Months earlier, Anthrax had made Metallica's acquaintance and performed some eye-opening gigs to ruthless Bay Area audiences, and so Fistful of Metal essentially chronicles their transition away from the older metallic influences heard on 'Howling Furies' and Alice Cooper's 'I'm Eighteen', and towards their moshing future on 'Deathrider', 'Panic' and, of course, 'Metal Thrashing Mad'. A little inconsistent but so much fun!"

What I say:

Yep, this isn't a full-on thrashfest, sitting closer to speed metal more than anything else... but in all honesty, outside of Among the Living, State of Euphoria and Persistence of Time, most Anthrax records aren't all-out slabs of thrash anyway in my opinion. And I disagree with the Fistful of Metal being inconsistent statement. Yeah, there's a mixture of old-school heavy and speed metal tracks here, as well as some thrashers, but the album's great from start to finish and flows just fine in my books. Neil Turbin probably wasn't the right man to sing on any of the band's later works, but his wailing style is brilliant on this one, and the songs kick ass - particularly 'Deathrider', 'Metal Thrashing Mad', 'Subjugator', 'Anthrax', and 'Howling Furies'. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Alice Cooper cover was thrown in due to record label requests, and the rest of the band weren't really interested in it. Either way, it's surprisingly good. A fine debut album that deserves a reputation as a true slice of US heavy metal. Different than what was to come, sure, but I love it.

6. FOR ALL KINGS (2016)

What they say:

"Anthrax not surprisingly turned everything up to 11 on their eleventh studio album, For All Kings, which built on the resounding triumph of Worship Music with one of the most well rounded efforts of the group's long career. Sure, the all-out thrashing of yesteryear has been replaced by short, focused bursts, but these are meshed seamlessly with more deliberate tempos and the impressively catchy choruses showcased by the title cut, 'Suzerain', 'Zero Tolerance' and many others. Only time will tell whether these tunes will earn a permanent place among Anthrax's top achievements, but we sure won't bet against them."

What I say:

A very nice continuation of 2011's comeback, Worship Music. I don't think it's quite as strong as it's predecessor, but For All Kings is a rock-solid melodic speed/thrash metal record all things considered. There's great thrashers on here with opener 'You Gotta Believe' and finale 'Zero Tolerance', possibly one of the fastest songs they'd recorded since the glory years. But there's also a couple of very hooky metal masterclasses in 'Monster at the End' and the insanely melodic, uplifting 'Breathing Lightning' - probably my favourite track on the record. It's an extremely competent latter-day Anthrax album, I just find there to be a few less memorable tracks overall when stacked up against Worship Music. So putting it at number 6 is slightly too high for me, but the album's still great either way.

5. SOUND OF WHITE NOISE (1993)

What they say:

"Although its daring experiments seem altogether foreign, even unnatural, compared to the 'classic' Anthrax sound today, there's no denying that, with Sound of White Noise, the band delivered one of the most distinctive metallic responses to grunge's fearsome challenge. Dark, disturbing, lyrically provocative, and amazingly versatile (just compare hit single 'Only' to the brutish 'Room for One More', or the haunting subtlety of 'Black Lodge'), Sound of White Noise was hailed by critics, outsold preceding efforts on a global scale, and also earned some of the highest chart placements of Anthrax's career. All this while smoothly welcoming former Armored Saint singer John Bush to the 'thrax fold." 

What I say:

First things first - 'Only' and 'Black Lodge' are masterpieces, and easily 2 of the best songs the band ever recorded. John Bush was also the perfect vocalist for this album. There's also a smattering of other decent cuts here with 'Hy Pro Glo', 'Potters Field' and Room for One More', but as much as I like Sound of White Noise, it just isn't one of my favourites, sadly. I really want it to be, but it just isn't! The riffs are kind of lacking in creativity throughout while the production has this strange fuzzy (?) overtone that has never quite comfortably settled with me. The super-serious shift in tone doesn't really bother me - they had to change if they wanted to make any money at this point in their career, and I like the cold feel of the album overall... but there's just not enough great songs on here to make the record, well, truly great. Still, 2 of those songs are at least among my favourites.

4. WORSHIP MUSIC (2011)

What they say:

"It sure wasn't easy, but Anthrax pulled off one of thrash metal's most anticipated reunions when they reinstated longtime vocalist Joey Belladonna in time for their tenth studio album, the cleverly titled Worship Music. Moreover, because its songs were written and re-recorded over such an extended period of time (an incredible eight years had elapsed since preceding record, We've Come for You All), their overall high quality was matched by a hybrid convergence of sounds spanning the length and breadth of Anthrax's career. In other words, Worship Music is the Anthrax album for all seasons, boasting songs as powerful as they are infectious and memorable, including latter day fan favourites like 'The Devil You Know', 'I'm Alive' and 'In the End'."

What I say:

A brilliant comeback for the band, and Joey Belladonna in particular considering he'd been absent since 1990's Persistence of Time. Considering this album was originally written for Dan Nelson to sing on (which explains the extended period of recording time), everything sounds incredibly natural with Joey back in the fold. The album is chock-full of superbly catchy melodic heavy metal pieces, namely 'Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't', 'I'm Alive', 'Crawl' and the masterful epic 'In the End'. No, it's not the fastest Anthrax record, nor is it the heaviest - it's the sound of a band aging gracefully, and crafting top-tier heavy metal with the best of them. 

3. PERSISTENCE OF TIME (1990)

What they say:

"Persistence of Time is the probably the most lyrically cynical, musically challenging, and all in all humourless album of Anthrax's career. An obvious reaction to State of Euphoria's much-criticized flippant outlook, punishingly dense creations like 'Time', 'Blood' and 'In My World' reflected a band that was demanding to be taken seriously. Others, such as 'Keep it In the Family' and 'Belly of the Beast' unintentionally revealed growing internal friction that not even a rambunctious hit cover of Joe Jackson's 'Got the Time' could long disguise. And yet, for all the turmoil festering just beneath its surface, Persistence emerged as a victory of negativity expressed through art - perfect fodder for naturally depressed metalheads everywhere."

What I say:

An accurate description, although the darkest Anthrax album to me is still Sound of White Noise. The Joe Jackson cover, 'Got the Time', is far too fast and fun to be ignored. Persistence of Time is definitely the second darkest Anthrax album though. Unlike Worship Music, this is the fastest, heaviest Anthrax album overall too - songs like 'Time', 'Keep it In the Family', 'Discharge' and 'Belly of the Beast' are so heavy and hard-hitting, and I lose count of just how many relentlessly awesome detuned riffs there are on this record. It ties with Among the Living for me as the finest in their discography.

2. SPREADING THE DISEASE (1985)

What they say:

"Anthrax's most eminently lovable LP (even Among the Living made fans work for their dessert, just a little), 1985's sophomore Spreading the Disease captures the excitement of thrash metal's rise to power like few other LPs - by any band. Among its nine, genre-defining tracks, grateful fans found songs that were both immediately catchy ('Madhouse', 'Gung-Ho') and detailed with instrumental intricacy ('The Enemy', 'Armed and Dangerous'); some rooted in familiarly metallic, violence and fantasy subjects ('Aftershock', 'Medusa') while others actually made listeners think ('A.I.R.', 'Stand or Fall'). At all times, the furious onslaught rarely paused this white-knuckle ride, which lay the groundwork for the most popular phase of Anthrax's career."

What I say:

The first effort with Joey Belladonna, and in my opinion his best ever performance with Anthrax. Unlike the shouty vocals of their rivals, he sings in a classic heavy metal vocal style throughout almost the entirety of the record. Spreading the Disease still isn't a fully-blown thrash album in my opinion (although certain tracks most definitely qualify), but this has zero effect on it's greatness. In fact, this was the first record that really sounds like the Anthrax you know and love - especially after the preceding Fistful of Metal. 'Gung-Ho' is one of the fastest, craziest Anthrax 'bangers ever, 'A.I.R.' is a riff-tastic slab of speed metal, 'Armed and Dangerous' is surprisingly proggy while 'Medusa' and 'The Enemy' are excellent mid-tempo romps and 'Madhouse' is a concert staple for a reason. Can't exactly argue with the authors' description, though it doesn't quite beat Persistence of Time for me.

1. AMONG THE LIVING (1987)

What they say:

" Even amidst some stiff competition, Among the Living ultimately rises to the top as the quintessential Anthrax LP. Led by the maturing songwriting of band leaders Scott Ian and Charlie Benante, Anthrax's classic lineup (completed by Belladonna, Dan Spitz and Frankie Bello) fully hit their stride while guiding their pit-dwelling fan-base to the moshing promised land. Thrash never witnessed a better album-opening trio than Among's formidable title track, 'Caught in a Mosh' and 'I Am the Law', and the essential thrashers kept right on coming ('Efilnikufesin', 'Indians', 'Imitation of Life' etc.), covering a series of self-empowering messages and popular culture touchstones (comics, Stephen King) that every teenaged metalhead could relate to personally. This connection, as much as Anthrax's peaking musical brilliance, certified Among the Living as one of thrash metal's definitive cornerstones."

What I say:

A predictable number 1 from Loudwire, but the only other album I can argue with for first place would be Persistence of Time. Either way, Among the Living displayed further progression from Spreading the Disease. The songs have gotten faster, heavier and (mostly) better. The last 3 tracks ('One World', 'A.D.I./Horror of it All' and 'Imitation of Life'), while enjoyable enough, sadly prevent Among the Living from being a near-perfect thrash record, but the rest of the album is some of the best thrash you'll ever hear. The lyrics are great, the riffs are pummelling, and the album as a whole has a slapstick charm that separates it from what Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth were doing. It's not a masterpiece, but it's an absolutely essential recording that deserves it's place in every metalhead's collection. 

There wasn't really any placements on this ranking that surprised me, unlike some of the past one's I've analysed. Aside from Worship Music sitting at number 4 - a placement I was actually pleasantly surprised by, because I love Worship Music - this entire list was fairly predictable and hard to argue with overall. My own ranking might be different, but I totally get why the author of this article put things in the order he did here all the same. I will say that I like Fistful of Metal quite a lot more than this guy does however, and also that Sound of White Noise definitely isn't a top 5 for me. As much as I love Anthrax - and I really do - I don't think they ever created any masterpieces, unlike their rivals Slayer, Metallica and Megadeth. But they still have a respectable catalogue of their own with many, many great records that I highly recommend. This is my own ranking... ask me again tomorrow though, and Persistence of Time may have swapped places with Among the Living...:

11. Stomp 442 (1995)

10. Volume 8: The Threat is Real (1998)

9. We've Come for You All (2003)

8. Sound of White Noise (1993)

7. For All Kings (2016)

6. State of Euphoria (1988)

5. Fistful of Metal (1984)

4. Worship Music (2011)

3. Spreading the Disease (1985)

2. Persistence of Time (1990)

1. Among the Living (1987)